Into the Unknown
by Tarch
Summary: Gods play with the fate of a young man after he makes the worst mistake in his life. A view of Berk through eyes of an outsider, as he undertakes an unexpected journey into the unknown.
1. Chapter 1

**Short Author's Note: This story was born out of my desire to be creative, which was sparked inside me after I read some other fanfiction stories. After several days of writing, rewriting, deleting, revising and making all sorts of experiments, I finally came up with a version of this story I am somewhat satisfied with, and thus presenting it here. I think it's also worth mentioning that this is the first and the only story I have ever written in my life. The genres will be adjusted as the story progresses, since, I'll be honest, I have no idea what genre best fits to this story.**

_**Italic texts **_**are internal thoughts of the main character.**

**I do not own How to Train Your Dragon and its original characters, which are rightfully owned by DreamWorks Animation and by author of the novels Cressida Cowell.**

**With all the formalities dealt with, enjoy reading!**

* * *

I saw a light. A very bright one. I could hear people singing playful melodies, laughing. Everything felt so relaxed and optimistic. I stood up to start walking towards it. Something felt strange though. Everything… was strange. Indescribable. The ground underneath me shook violently, causing me to fall. I then saw a silhouette of a person standing right in the light, shooing me out. It was clear at that point. It was a dream. Something started to pull me in the opposite direction. The vision slowly faded away into black. That's all I can remember from that blurry dream.

I felt pain throughout my body. I still could see a glimpse of that silhouette quickly getting further and further, but it was just a matter of time before it disappeared completely. I was slowly waking up.

The air was cold. Cold, fresh and encouraging air filled my lungs. The smell was infallible. I felt water. I could hear water splashes. It was carrying me slowly and gently into unknown, rocking me up and down. But suddenly, I stopped. I landed into something. I slowly opened my eyes. I saw water, rocks, sand, land… a beach. I couldn't move much. I was firmly tied to a wooden board which prevented me from drowning. I reached to the only accessible knot of a rope which didn't let me move, and with a bit of effort, I untied it. The pain was huge. I groaned. Nevertheless, I reached for another one, and another, and another, until I reached the last one. Once I was free, I tried to stand up. I struggled at first, but I did it.

The mild wind caused me to feel freezing cold on face. It was a sunny day with scarce clouds in the sky, I just didn't know whether it was a morning or afternoon.

The landscape was rough. The coastline on which I was standing on was covered with rocks and cliffs of all possible and impossible sizes and shapes, coming from the ocean to the right. The ocean itself had many massive rocky columns sticking out of it. On the opposite side was the mainland, a landscape covered with thick forests, mostly consisting of pine, spruce and fir trees, trees typical for harshly cold climate. Some tall rocky mountains scarcely covered with snow on their peaks were also visible from the spot where I was standing. The most important detail was though, that I was separated from the mainland by a tall cliff. I finally realised what happened.

_I shipwrecked._

Under pressure of all the facts, my eyes widened, my heart began to beat stronger and stronger, punching its way out of my chest. I started breathing heavily. I started to run desperately into the ocean only to fall on my knees just a few feet further.

_Gods! Oh gods. Oh gods help me. Please help me. Please! How? How did I get here?_

I remembered I had been caught in a storm while sailing... completely alone. I closed my eyes. I was far away from home. Away from my mother who I love, away from my father from whom I take a great example. Away from my village, oh that lovely village surrounded by endless rolling fields boasting with many different colours, studded with small forests and groves in which I used to play many games with my friends. Away from a small river which is full of little fish I love so much. Away from people of my kind. Away… Away in the unknown. I was weak, thirsty and hungry. I was sore both physically and mentally. I was desperate. How long have I floated across the ocean? Only gods know. The tension was overwhelming.

I didn't cry though. I am not that kind of man. Many people, especially my father, who was a chief of our family and village, said I was a serious, but quite an enjoyable guy to have around, mostly thanks to my knowledge, skills, intuition and willingness to help anyone, anytime. I was often called "the miracle of the village". As a son of a chief, I really had to work on myself a lot. That included seemingly useless things like housekeeping, gathering food from crops, forests and seas, but also crafting stuff, or learning to defend myself with all kinds of weapons. The training master said I was to become the best warrior of the village. I can handle spears, throwing axes, battle-axes; one and two-sided, throwing spears, daggers. But my personal favourite are swords. I was determined to become a good chief. I really had done much during those seventeen years of my life. But… could I have done more? Yes, I could.

After a few minutes of thinking about my home I realised I wouldn't do much by just kneeing there and just mourning my unfortunate fate. I stood up to check my equipment. A tough iron armour, boots, shoulder protectors and gauntlets; which kept me somewhat cosy. I ran my hands along my head to feel my spiked helmet was still there, covering my medium-long brown hair. Whole outfit had a golden tint. I double checked my heavy round shield reinforced with metal rods, fastened to my back, and my beloved long sword hanging on the left side of my leather belt, all intact. I then turned to the massive cliff.

_This is not a peaceful land. Not a single human soul I await here. I am on my own. Gods help me._

_A huge magnificent wall of rocks is standing in front of my nothingness. I am just a puny ant begging anything to get me out of here before I stop breathing. I dare you, show me a way to get past you!_

I then heard a distant roar and a subsequent rumble. I quickly pulled out from depths of my thoughts and looked at the mountain from which the sound came from. Nothing. I looked up. Nothing. I looked back. Nothing. I looked at the ocean. Nothing. I looked at the mountains again. And there I saw it. A small flying… creature. It was flying up and down, left and right, doing spins, rolls and falls. And… breathing projectiles of lightning and fire. A dragon! My eyes widened.

_I thought these were only a legend. A legend which my ancestors fought off a very long time ago. But… it is here, clearer than the sun itself._

It was all black, very fast, and followed by one… two… three… four others! A very agile blue dragon, a very fat brown one, a twin-headed green beast, and a scary red dragon, all chasing the black one. I watched them closely.

_Is it me or… something… no, someone is on them. Dragon riders!_

I just stood there like numb. I couldn't believe what I just saw. But yes… I saw dragons with riders on their backs, and the one on the black dragon just waved something at his wingmen. The black dragon then made a quick descend. In my direction! They spotted me. My heard started pounding heavily again, I was taking deep breaths. Stress filled my entire body. I grabbed my shield, and drew my sword. They did not attack though, only made a low fly by. Others followed. I could see two girls and four guys old much like me. The things on their heads were…

_Horned helmets. Vikings!? Can't be!_

At that moment I realised how good I paid attention to my father when he was teaching me how to speak Norse.

They kept circling around me. Five dragons… six, seven, eight? Were they multiplying? My knees were shaking, my arms were getting numb, and I was losing breath. Out of all strength, I collapsed.

I could see a huge black smudge and a blurry person approaching me, with more soon appearing next to him. I heard voices trying to talk to me; inarticulate voices, almost an echo. Are they trying to carry me somewhere? Are they going to kill me? I couldn't breathe for any longer. I was done. The sounds were slowly fading into terrifying silence. The vision was getting blurry, feelings more and more uncertain. I could feel pressure on my body. I saw a smudge… beige and yellow… getting bigger and bigger, feeling heat on my face before fading off into black.

Once I regained consciousness again, I felt different. I felt warm. I took a first deep breath on my own. I heard steps, someone was walking near me. I opened my eyes to see wooden roof, wooden walls and pillars and… a person. The dragon rider! My eyes widened as I jerked a bit.

"Relax, friend, relax. It's okay. I won't harm you." He said quietly as he reached towards a cup. I eased off.

"You look thirsty. Here, have some water." He offered me a cup of water. I started drinking, and drank, and drank until it was empty. It was refreshing for my dry throat and for me too.

"You were in a pretty bad shape when we found you on the beach two days ago." He continued.

_Two days… eh._

"You are going to be alright though. Once you will get enough of sleep, you will be good."

A single candle was softly enlightening my close surroundings. I looked at my nurse. A young, smiling boy with green eyes and brown hair, which looked just like yak's fur. He was wearing a green tunic with fur over it. He was very thin and weak… for a Viking.

"My name is Hiccup." He introduced himself to me.

_Hiccup!? Who would call his son Hiccup? That name is strange for a human, as much as he is strange for a Viking._

"Gorazd." I whispered my name, closing my eyes again. I felt his hand touching my forehead.

"The fever is gone. You are a strong guy." He admired.

"Where am I?"

"You're in Berk."

_Berk. I swear I have heard that somewhere before._

"It is a late evening now. Have some rest. You need it." He invited, blew out the candle, and left somewhere.

_Everything in my life went good. I had a loving mother, a careful father. It seemed like everything I touched turned into gold. I had everything served right under my nose, and in return, I was working on becoming a good chief. I have learned how to fight, and I probably thought nothing could ever happen to me. I was naïve enough to believe I was untouchable, perhaps. I shouldn't have gone to the sea alone. The gods have proven I made a fatal mistake by forcing me cross that storm. My parents didn't deserve that. I did though. Maybe it's a quest. Maybe I have to prove myself worthy. Maybe that's why they guided me here._

_I think I understand now._

_Dear family, I wish to tell you I am alive, and I promise, I promise I will see you shortly. Give me strength, please. I am going to need it. Dear gods, stand by me. Show me the way to overcome this obstacle my life prepared for me. Give me strength, and I will not let you down. Good… night._

I slowly drifted away into dreams. That night was calm and peaceful. I can't remember what exactly I've dreamt about, but it was something I can characterize as green, blue, yellow and brown. It was a harmony between all the elements of nature, a harmony which was to be left untouched. The gods heard my plea; they were giving me strength, and setting my first goal on my journey.

I was concerned how the local people would accept me as their guest, but that was a question for the next morning.


	2. Chapter 2

Everything was silent. So silent that I almost didn't realise I was awake already. I opened my eyes. The same wooden roof, the same walls and pillars, the same bed, table. I was still in Berk. I didn't feel any pain or dizziness anymore, and moreover, I felt warm. This feeling carved a smile on my face. I looked around. The house I was sleeping in was fairly big, with a fireplace in middle of it, and many other stuff which required to be in every house. I looked to the right to see all of my equipment carefully stored next to the bed I was lying on.

_They didn't take my armour. Maybe they're not enemies after all. But what about the dragons?_

I was unsure what to do, but something told me to dress up and go out. And I did so. I lifted off from under the blankets which were keeping me warm, and sat onto my bed. I was wearing only my brown tunic and pants. Well, what else could I do? I was really hungry; I haven't eaten for days now. But I soon found out that my hosts took care of that too. As soon as I dressed into my armour, I approached the dining table with food ready on it. Roast fish with some kind of a herbal tea.

_I do hope the food is meant to be eaten by me. Well, if not, they'll forgive me. I am starving._

I started eating. The fish was really tasty, as was the tea. Was it because it was a really well-prepared meal or because the fact that an empty stomach savours everything? After having such a dear breakfast, I fastened my trusted shield onto my back and my beloved sword to the left side of my leather belt. I was ready to show myself out there. I started walking towards the exit door. The tension was rising. How would they accept me? Would they be communicative? Would they send me back where I came from? Or would they use me for their purposes? It was time to find out.

I slowly opened the doors agape. It was a late morning, and I saw a medium-sized village with people and their dragons roaming its roads. It was a strange sight. None of them wore armour or a weapon. It didn't take them long to notice me, since I was really different from anyone there. I heard a loud squawk. Everybody looked at one of the blue dragons, which was pointing at me. All the eyes then landed on me. I made two small steps forwards. All of them stepped backwards. The village life stopped.

A red dragon was now approaching me slowly, growling. I was starting to think it was going to blast the life out of me.

_Considering the odds, I will not be aggressive._

It turned out to be a wise decision. The dragon stopped growling, but continued to watch me closely. I looked into its eyes. I was staring right into the eyes of an ancient enemy of me and my people.

_This beast seems to be intelligent. Where's Hiccup?_

I slowly started to walk forward. The dragon suddenly jumped back and growled fiercely. Everyone else gasped. I immediately stopped.

_Are they afraid of me? I can't harm them. If I did even the slightest move, these dragons would blow me up in a matter of a few moments._

I was confused. I was counting with many options, but I'd never count with this. Everyone seemed to wait for someone. And that someone was coming. I looked up into the sky. I saw a black dragon, followed by four others, just like I saw them on the beach a few days ago. The black one landed between me and the red growling one. I saw Hiccup dismounting it.

"Oh, you're awake already?" He said while he was dismounting his dragon. He then turned towards the curious crowd.

"Everything is okay, you can freely resume with your work." He shouted, turning towards me after. They reluctantly did so, even the dragons.

"Why so much attention?" I calmly asked Hiccup.

"Eh, umm… I didn't tell them you're here. Only my dad and my friends know it. And our dragons." He replied, playing an innocent one. I sighed heavily.

"So much for an invitation. For a moment I thought that red dragon was going to blast me. He didn't even let me make a smallest step!" I complained a bit.

"I'm sorry about that. Well… did you like your breakfast?"

_You must mean the fish and tea. _"Totally. I loved it."

Hiccup smiled. "I'm glad you liked it. Come, let me introduce you to my gang." He invited making a loud whistle into the skies to tell his buddies to come down. And they did. They landed and approached me.

"Wow…" I could hear coming from one of them.

"This is Fishlegs," Hiccup said as he pointed on a tall, fat guy. _That name suits him. A bulky boy with limited access to movement. Brown hair with a brown furry tunic. _"…those are twins Ruffnut and Tuffnut…" _Lass and her brother. Long blonde hair, dumb glance, mouth opened._ I thought as I gave a subtle nod at them. "… and that is Snotlout." _That is also a cool name. A tough lofty lad with adequate amount of muscles. This one really seems to be enjoying himself. _This one was just frowning all the time.

Hiccup then turned to face a girl to his left. She was wearing bluish armour with spiky shoulder caps and spiky leather skirt. My eyes widened. Her head was covered with shiny blonde hair. She was wearing a leather band across her forehead, with some of her hair falling in front of her left eye. _Beautiful crystal blue eyes!_ I was looking at her for a moment as she gave me a soft smile.

"This is Astrid." Hiccup said with some pride in his tone. I quickly diverted my gaze from her. _Don't look at her much, otherwise it might not end well. _I thought, suspecting the danger of her presence to my current goals. _I hope she already has a boy. That would make it so much easier. Ah… what am I thinking about?_

I was slightly taller than them. Except Fishlegs. _This is one of the strangest tribe I have ever had the honour to see._

"Guys," Hiccup spoke again, pointing at me. "…this is… Gorazd…?" He was unsure about my name, and threw a questioning glace at me. I just slightly nodded. "Yeah." He finished.

_Oh boy…_

"I have never seen so many pieces of metal on a human." Astrid admired.

"It makes other people respect me. And it makes me proud." I explained, looking at Hiccup.

"Oh ho ho, the only thing which is creating respect is this." Snotlout noted, kissing his muscles on his arm.

"What now?" I asked Hiccup. He didn't even manage to respond.

"Hey, you must be our guest!" I heard a strong and loud voice. I then saw a ridiculously tall and strong man with a long red beard. He was wearing a leather tunic and a thick fur cloak. He looked very authoritative, just like a chief.

"I bet you're the chief of your tribe."

"Yes, you are correct. I am Stoick. Hiccup, son, take you friends somewhere. I wish to talk with our guest now."

_This… fish-bone is a son of this giant? This island will never stop surprising me with contrasts. It seems I have something in common with this Hiccup._

"Yes, dad." Hiccup politely replied as he and his friends disappeared in the skies along with their dragons.

"Let's go inside." Stoick invited. We entered the house, which turned out to the chief's house. We sat behind the dining table, where I had my breakfast just moments ago.

"So… where do you come from?" Stoick asked me. And so I began explaining my unfortunate tale, how I went out to the sea alone, how I got caught in a storm, and how I ended up here, unconscious, and finally, my encounter with Hiccup and his so-called gang. Stoick seemed to be pretty interested.

"That's a sad story." Stoick empathically noted.

"How come you live alongside dragons?" I couldn't resist asking.

"Oh, we once fought them too, until Hiccup proved we were all wrong about them. And so, we made peace and since then, we protect each other."

"I didn't notice any armour or weapon on people around here." I noted.

"Oh, those are not needed. We have dragons!" Stoick proudly replied.

"I thought you said you protect them."

"We give them shelter, food and love."

"Uh huh, I see." The whole relationship between dragons and these Vikings was certainly interesting. We talked a little bit further, and I found out that Vikings like drinking mead.

_If mead is the thing which washes brains, then no thanks. _I had a strict opinion on drinks like those. _Nobody is going to get a single drop of that into me. No chance._

After a while, I started to feel comfortable in Stoick's presence. I could feel he accepted me as a guest.

"So… How could I possibly get back home?" I asked him.

"Well, considering you said you have no idea where you came from, we have to rely on traders who come by from time to time. We are fairly independent since we are far from other tribes, so we have no idea when or even if anyone will show up from the sea. Moreover, winter will move in very soon. You're going to have to spend a winter with us, it seems."

"Perfect." I was not really glad I heard this. _Oh gods, you prepared quite a big adventure for me. Thank you very much!_

After a brief silence, he spoke. "Okay, that was a good talk. I need to attend some village affairs now. Feel free to take a stroll around the village. Consider this house your home."

"Sure… thanks." I replied as we both left the house. Stoick walked away, and I looked around. The village was located on the shore of the island, surrounded with forests. Theirs houses strongly resembled ours, back in my village. Not in shape, but in technology of construction. We also had fireplaces in the middle of our houses. The basic outline of the house was pretty much the same.

As I walked through the village, I noticed people were still throwing strange glances at me. I just ignored them. It was only a matter of time before I would settle down. The dragons though kept an eye on me constantly. They still didn't trust me. Maybe because I was armed. Then I came across Hiccup.

"Where's the rest of your party?" I asked.

"Probably at home. What did dad want from you?"

"Ah… he was just curious where I came from, who I was, and so on…"

"Oh, I see. I'd love to know that too."

I just looked at him. I wonder how many times I am going to have to explain my story. Hopefully just once.

"I can tell you, but bring the rest of your friends. I am sure they'll want to know too." _I am not in mood of telling the same tale over and over. _"Fine?"

Hiccup complacently nodded. "Right. Let me get me on that. Wait here, I'll be right back."

Hiccup wasn't accompanied by his dragon, so he had to run away on his own. I then noticed there was something wrong with his left leg. It was replaced by an artificial one… made of metal.

_This boy is possibly younger, but he indeed ran into many things in his life. I am curious what story covers his metal leg._

Even though the houses looked like ours, there still was a huge difference between my village and Berk. People were so scowl. They were not enjoying life. They acted as if they were controlled by someone else. They didn't talk much with each other. Maybe something was on their minds… or it's the mead. Their eyes were so empty. Of except the ones of Hiccup and Astrid. Those were full of joy, as they approached me. Oh those eyes of Astrid's! They're only two though.

"Where's the rest of your...?" I asked timidly.

"They weren't interested in 'unimportant crap of a strange stranger'." Hiccup replied, emphasizing the quote.

"So be it. I won't be telling this tale again." I firmly said as Hiccup started guiding us somewhere. I was deliberately avoiding Astrid's glance, despite walking next to her. I knew why.

"Where are we going?" She asked. Even her voice was so pleasant to listen to.

"Somewhere where we'll be alone." Hiccup playfully replied. He led us to a nearby forest, to a place which looked like a natural shelter, where we sat down on the ground, forming a circle. We were safely out of sight thanks to the thick undergrowth of the forest.

"Let's hear it then." Astrid impatiently asked me to start talking.

_Yes, she really is interested in my story… or in me. Start talking already._

And so, I began telling my story again. They both were listening with great interest, they were asking questions about me and my people, they compared our cultures. They accepted me. They became good friends, all of sudden.

"I feel so sorry for you." Astrid said.

"Oh, don't be. I'm fine." I reassured her.

"I don't think I would be able to survive in your situation. I would never have thought of fastening myself to a wooden board." Hiccup admired.

"My father taught me the trick."

"Your father taught you everything!" Astrid exclaimed.

"Everything he could, yes." I sighed. His face appeared in my mind again.

_I can imagine his sorrow. I can feel him mourning. I know he is worried about whether I live or not. I hope the gods will relay my message to him, that I am alive, and safe._

"Are you okay?" Astrid asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I reassured her again. "Where did you get your name, Hiccup?"

"It's a cool name, I know. But it's not the worst. My parents thought that a hideous name will frighten off gnomes and trolls." He explained. I burst out laughing.

"I guess they do a pretty good job, then! I haven't seen a troll here yet." We all laughed at my statement. I do not know why though. It was not that funny.

"Well, Astrid is not a hideous name." I noted.

"My parents did not fall to that delirium." We chuckled again. And again, it was not that funny. It was a nascent friendship between us.

If someone could ever become my friend in this place, it was them. I would never have said they would become friends so quickly.

And then there was silence. We didn't talk anymore; we enjoyed the peace the forest had to offer instead. I closed my eyes, and listened to the playful melodies. I always admired birdsongs. They wouldn't let out a single false tone. Absolutely amazing. I enjoyed every single moment of it. It was filling me with irrecoverable power which kept me alive even in the toughest moments of my life. I could hear a distant noise of the ocean crashing into the rough cliffs on the island's shore. I could hear trees gently rustling thanks to the mild wind that was blowing. I could hear a stream flowing nearby. And then there were the birdsongs. Everything was working in perfect harmony outside the village.

"Amazing…" I whispered, breaking the long silence.

"Yes, amazing." Astrid agreed. "I wonder why I haven't done this before."

"Maybe because we've never been here." Hiccup reminded silently, trying not to disrupt the songs of the nature.

We were sitting there for quite some time now, and the sun was slowly starting to set.

"I think we should go." I suggested.

"Yeah, we should." Hiccup agreed as he rose to his legs. I noticed his artificial leg again.

"How did it happen?" I asked, looking at it.

"I… I lost it in a fight against a dragon." He replied.

"I see." I whispered, patting his shoulder to tell him I didn't mean anything bad by that question, and to ask him for forgiveness if it touched him somehow. I reassured him with a smile. He smiled back. He forgave me. Words are sometimes simply less than acts.

By the time we returned to the village, the sun had already set. We were quiet all the time, enjoying the silence which settled into the village with the incoming night. The feeling of the village was totally different when it was empty.

"It's pretty quiet here in the evenings." I noted.

"I bet everyone went to the mead hall." Astrid said.

"Mead hall… That would be a place where mead is being drunk." I guessed.

"That is correct." Hiccup sighed. It was apparent to me they disliked mead. Good for them.

Meanwhile, we approached the chief's house. Hiccup turned towards me.

"Feel free to go inside. I still need to take care of... something. Just don't get scared when you come across Toothless."

"Toothless?" I wondered who Toothless could be.

"My dragon." He said, smiling. "A Night Fury."

"I see. Sure, I'll be there." _So Toothless is Hiccup's dragon. Interesting name. One would expect a dragon to have teeth._

"Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow, Astrid." I turned towards her.

"I think so. Well… good night."

I nodded with a smile. "To you as well." I threw a quick glance at Hiccup before turning away and starting walking towards the chief's house.

_What would be that 'something' you have to do, hmm? A bit of discretion, and I might find out. _I deliberately walked slowly, and when I reached the doors, I turned back. I saw Hiccup walking next to Astrid. Nothing that would tell me anything. Just a bit of patience and... I saw Astrid's hand now gently squeezing Hiccup's, slightly leaning against each other. That sight forced a smile into my face. A sign of pure love. Who would have thought it would be Hiccup to have the most beautiful girl around here? Lucky bastard – I chuckled in my mind as I entered the house. Stoick was already inside.

I closed the door and turned around only to press myself against the wall. It was Toothless.

"It's okay. Just let him sniff your hand." Stoick guided me.

_This is an ancient enemy of mine, Stoick. But… he looked peaceful. Maybe he's not the… bad dragon._

I did as he said. Toothless was slowly approaching me, looking at me with his big yellow eyes, and silently grunting. I stretched out my hand, closed my eyes, and waited.

_Gods, please forgive me._

Toothless was slowly approaching me, but I didn't know what he was doing. I didn't watch. After a moment of silence, briefly interrupted with scrooping floor, I felt air and something wet and slimy landing on my hand, shortly before I felt a nudge. I opened my eyes to see Toothless touching my hand with his snout.

"He welcomes you to be here." Stoick reassured me. I withdrew my hand, and Toothless opened his eyes to keep them on me.

_These beings are really intelligent… and friendly._

"Where's Hiccup?" asked Stoick.

"He'll be here in a moment. He had to take care of something. I do not know what though." I replied.

Stoick chuckled. "He always has to do something in the evenings."

_Yes, he has to guide his girl home, while squeezing her hand. I will leave that on Hiccup to tell you anyway. It looks like our Hiccup is being secretive. A first premise of failing in a relationship._

"The dinner will be ready soon. We'll have fish again, if you don't mind." Stoick said.

"Sure no problem. The one I had for breakfast was good." I said as I walked towards the dining table.

"Breakfast? I'd say it was a late lunch. You were sleeping like a dragon whole morning!" He laughed.

"Who wouldn't be sleepy after spending a few days on the open sea unconscious, huh? I was damn lucky to come across this island."

"Yeah, you were. This is the northernmost settled land in this region. We're not just a few degrees south from 'Freezing to Death' for fun, you know?"

"That is an interesting way to describe the position of this island." I wondered.

"Why? This is Berk. It is twelve days north of Hopeless and a few degrees south of Freezing to Death. It's located straight on the Meridian of Misery!" Stoick explained with expressive gesticulation.

_Most interesting. What would 'Hopeless' and 'Meridian of Misery' be? Never mind…_

"You should check those fish." I suggested.

"Oh yes. A good idea." He turned towards the fireplace, where the fish were being roasted. Meanwhile, I started stripping myself from the armour and equipment. Toothless kept watching me closely.

"Had a good time with the kids?" Stoick asked.

_If 'kids' would be Hiccup and Astrid then… _"Yes, I had." I replied with a smile.

"Hiccup and Astrid seem to stick to each other lately. Well… they do ever since we made peace with dragons. Maybe they're falling for each other."

_I wish you were right, Stoick. Now, think about food. Think about food._

Just as I finished putting off my armour, the doors opened, and Hiccup came in. He was smiling, and his eyes were full of excitement.

"Hi, dad. I'm home!" He literally shouted.

"High time too, son. The dinner's ready." Stoick replied, not even bothering to look at him. But Toothless, on the other hand, was happy that his rider returned home, as he immediately welcomed him with a few nudges, sniffs and grunts.

"Hi, Toothless. I am happy to see you too, bud."

"Is that 'something' of yours… done?" I teased him a bit, suspecting what he was doing out there.

"Well… yes." He replied while I approached him.

"And you seem to be pretty excited about it." I continued teasing him.

"Yum, fish! You don't know how happy I am to eat fish again, dad!" Hiccup said, running off to the dining table. It couldn't be more obvious he deliberately avoided a discussion about my topic.

"I am glad you like it, son." Stoick appreciated, putting the fish onto the table.

"Busted." I mumbled for myself, chuckling. I carried on and took a seat behind the dining table. Stoick then put about ten raw fish onto the floor. For Toothless.

"Right, let's get to it." Stoick invited as he sat down as well. We started eating. I decided not to tease Hiccup anymore, he was clearly feeling uncomfortable when I did. They were doing a big mistake though… Hiccup and Astrid. I knew I had to talk to him about that, for their own good.

Time seemed to have slowed down while we were eating. I realised the fish was indeed tasty, because my stomach wasn't as empty as in the morning, and it still savoured every single piece of it. I just had to be careful with the little bones. The evening quickly changed into a dark night. The birds stopped singing, and the only sound coming from the outside was the ocean crashing against the rough coastline.

As the night settled in, we found ourselves in a dark room only subtly enlightened by the weak fire in the fireplace. It was… romantic, although I didn't have a girl romance with. Hiccup did though, but he left his girl in her own home, for an unknown reason. I decided to talk with him about it tomorrow.

I was the last one to finish eating. "It was delicious, just like in the morning." I admired Stoick's cooking abilities.

"Yeah, definitely." Hiccup agreed.

"I am glad you liked it." Stoick thanked, lifting off from the table. "Well, it's late, men. Time to sleep."

"Sure, dad."

_I think it is a bit too early for sleeping, but I need some anyway. I'll be able to enjoy a morning at least._

All of sudden, I found myself in a dodgy situation.

"Umm… Stoick?" I asked. "Where is the… umm…" _Damn it, how is it called in Norse? _I just couldn't find the proper word.

"What is it?" Stoick turned towards me with a raised eyebrow.

"Where is… the place where you answer the calls of nature?" I finally managed to ask.

"Oh… just go somewhere into the woods."

"Great, thanks." I said, going out to take care of whatever I had to deal with.

After a few moments, I returned. Toothless was already upstairs, and Hiccup was about to leave too.

"Right. Let's get some sleep. Good night, Hiccup."

"Thanks. You too, friend." He replied.

_'Friend'. _This word sent shivers down my spine. He just called me a friend. I just nodded with a smile, heading off towards my resting place.

"Good night, dad." Hiccup said, finally heading upstairs.

"Good night, son."

After Stoick and I exchanged our wishes of good night, I settled myself in my bed. I couldn't believe everything went so smoothly. I again started thinking of my own family.

_Dear family, I wish to tell you I am safe and sound. I know you are mourning my loss, but please, have faith. I promise I will return... someday. I have good hosts who are taking care of me, even though they… allied themselves with dragons. But they don't seem to be hostile towards people. I'll have to explore more on that._

_Dear gods, you have given me strength. I am grateful for that. I am ready to prove myself worthy to succeed my father. I swear I won't let you down._

_Everything's good. I was accepted by these people. I am fine… I will be ready to search for a way back home tomorrow._

_I will see you shortly._

_Good night._


	3. Chapter 3

**Short Author's Note: Here comes the third chapter. Regular updates on status of future stories will be on my profile page. Thanks for reading!**

* * *

Have I mentioned I love mornings? They have the calmness of night and freshness of day. It's the sudden change, the contrast which makes them well… mornings. They're really relieving, like the one I woke up to – my day three on Berk.

I woke up early, Stoick was still sleeping peacefully. Toothless wasn't inside though. I knew because the riding gear Hiccup left downstairs yesterday was gone too. They probably went for a ride… early birds. Once someone experiences the feeling of a morning, he'll never get fed up with it. It's a triumphal return of sun itself from the depths of Earth.

The sun still didn't rise, but it was dawning already. The sky was gently lit from the side where sun would soon rise. Blue on the east, black in the west. They fight for dominance in the skies, but it has been foretold that light would win; only to lose to the same foe just a few hours later. This sacred circle is being protected by the gods themselves. I walked down through the village. I wondered where Hiccup could be at this time of the day, and if he would be alone… or with someone else. Astrid. Isn't this a good opportunity for letting love flourish? If so, where else could they be if not on the highest point of Berk? I was never going to see if I was right since I didn't have a dragon to lift me up there, to the mountain. The view could be charming… and romantic.

I came across an open space on the edge of the village. I do not know why I did that, but I grabbed my shield and my sword, and started fencing. The sword's blade whizzed through the air; it was the only sound I could hear at that moment. I had not done that before, but it certainly filled me with joy. My movement was very precise; just like I had practiced with my training master. Moving in my armour was not easy at all. I had to know how to spread the weight of the thick metal plates onto myself while doing fast movements. But I didn't fall, I didn't lose balance. I firmly held my sword as I swung it through the air, savouring every single moment of it. Just when I finally stopped, I could hear a rustle. Someone was watching me. I turned around but saw nobody. I thought he could hide behind the house, but I didn't find anyone there. I sheathed my sword, and tightened the shield to my back again. So what? My hobbies are not secret. I looked at the sky, trying to spot anything that could look like a dragon. I still wondered where Hiccup could have been.

I went further down the village, until I had a clear view of the harbour. Nobody there. The village was completely deserted. At least the roads. They should put some guards out at night though. Peace with dragons doesn't mean complete safety, even if this is the northernmost settled island in the world; it is still accessible from the sea. I wondered if anyone else from the outside world knew what happened here. Dragons are an ancient legend. The stories about the glorious wars with dragons and their masters were transferred from generation to generation for ages. Berk hadn't won yet.

I was just roaming the village at random. I couldn't do anything else really except of what I was doing already, and watch the nature waking up. I just roamed around until I ended up at the same place where I was practicing with my sword moments ago. First sunshine enlightened me. I heard a noise. I looked up into the skies to see a flying dragon. Toothless. He was the only black dragon on Berk. I hadn't seen any other before. He was gently soaring around the village, and after a few circles he went downwards towards me. Looks like I was visible from way up there. They landed a few feet before me. Hiccup dismounted his dragon and approached me.

"Morning, friend." He greeted me.

_Friend… I wonder if that's anything more than just a courtesy towards guests. _"Good morning, Hiccup. You seem to enjoy mornings just like me."

"Yeah, Toothless loves them too." He replied, patting Toothless' forehead, letting a few grunts out of him.

_Now, Hiccup. It is time to talk about your 'something' from yesterday evening. _"Completely alone? Where do you have your girl?" I asked with a smile.

He looked at me with surprise. He didn't see that coming. "M-my girl? What do you… mean?"

"I thought you have an acquaintance. So?" I kept pressing.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Okay, rephrased: Where do you have your Astrid?"

"My Astrid?" He asked, looking confused.

"I saw what your 'something' was yesterday evening. You two were pretty cute when you held hands." I calmly replied with a gentle smile.

"Oh gods…" he whispered, rolling his eyes.

"Being secretive, are we?" I asked with a slightly raised eyebrow.

"Eh-… why, no… hell, why do you even care? Friends can't even hold hands anymore?"

"So you two are only friends? Nothing more?" I wondered.

"Why is this so important to you?" He replied stroppily.

"You should be careful with what you keep secret. Being secretive is the first premise of failing in a relationship." I started to talk seriously. Toothless looked at me surprised, as if he understood what I just said. Hiccup's green eyes did so too; they were full of questions and uncertainty. "People usually hide something when they are afraid to let others know what that secret would be. And fear is not a good advisor, especially in relationships." I continued. "Fear will make you angry. Anger will cause you to hate others. Hatred will divide you from Astrid, cause you to suffer." I continued as Hiccup stuck his gaze to the ground. "I guess you are proud of what you managed to achieve. Of your relationship. Now my question is: why would you hide something you're proud of?"

Hiccup remained silent, thinking about what I had just said. He found words only after Toothless nudged him from behind.

"I don't know." He replied. Toothless snarled a bit.

"That is not a correct answer." I insisted.

"I-I am afraid of gossips." Hiccup finally said.

"Gossips… those can be painful, indeed. I know what you're talking about. But believe me; people would start to suspect something sooner or later. It would be the moment when your fear would lead you to anger."

"Why are you doing this?" Hiccup looked at me angrily.

"I wouldn't want so see a broken heart. Especially if that heart would be yours." _I am trying to achieve my own goals, Hiccup. That's why._

"I… I can't." He whispered. I could only sigh.

_If this didn't work, only a blessing from the skies will help you, boy. _Toothless was apparently growing impatient as he kept trying to catch Hiccup's attention.

"I'll resume our flight." He said as he climbed the saddle. Toothless looked at me as if he wanted to say 'get out of my sight'. I didn't even manage react, they quickly went up into the air and left towards the mountains.

It wasn't long before people started to come out from their houses. I decided to go back to the chief's house to get a breakfast; I was getting pretty hungry. And I wanted to talk about a possible away home. Poor Hiccup…

_Maybe I was just too harsh at him. His question was good though. Am I doing it because he's my friend or because I need someone to distract Astrid? This leaves me in uncertainty. Is Hiccup my friend, or my tool? Oh come on, man, put yourself together._

_Having a master is iniquity, but even worse is being one!_

Something inside slapped me for what I had said to him. I felt bad. Was I sincere, or was I lying? That moment, I realized I had to fix things up, for the sake of my own conscience. It was time to switch topics though. I entered the chief's house.

"Good morning, chief." I politely greeted Stoick, who was already awake.

"Morning. Have you seen Hiccup?"

"Yeah, he is flying around the island." _And is mad at me. Probably. _"I think he is just enjoying the morning."I replied, carefully choosing which words I'd say.

"Hiccup is an early bird. And Toothless is as well."

"So am I." I proudly stated. "Now, if I may ask…" I started to turn the course of our dialogue.

"What is it?" Stoick asked.

"What are the ways of getting in touch with the outer world?" I asked my question while I was sitting down behind the dining table.

"The cleverest thing would be to wait for someone to show up from the sea. I bet you're hungry."

"I am." I smiled as Stoick gave me my breakfast. It was bread. "Aren't there any reachable islands? Other Vikings?"

"There are, but… that's rather complicated.." I saw a worried expression in Stoick's face.

"I see… Considering that look of yours, I bet there is a serious problem." I noted. Stoick then looked at me.

"There is."

"And what would that problem be?" I asked.

"I was thinking about you, and I know you intend to return to from wherever you came from." Stoick said with a serious voice.

_I don't like where this is going…_

"I'll be sincere, lad. You are the first person from the outer world to know about our alliance with dragons. And I don't know if I can just let you go with that. You have to understand this is an existential problem for us."

His words pierced me like an arrow. My return to home was getting complicated. I couldn't say a word.

"I know you want to return home, but I don't know if I can trust you to… keep this a secret. It makes me feel bad too." He continued somewhat softer, now avoiding my glance.

"I am not a bastard." I stated, slowly eating my bread. "I mean… Why would I do that? I was also told that dragons once were a great threat to humans. I grabbed my weapons when I saw your boys flying on them. I wanted to fight; despite the fact that I thought dragons were only a mere legend. But-"

"A legend you say?" Stoick interrupted me. "So they wouldn't believe you if you told them?"

I was silent for a moment. "They would, actually."

We both sighed. "Don't worry, we'll find a way to get you home. But since I disclosed some sensitive information about us, you'll have to stay in Berk. I'll tell the boys to keep an eye on you, just in case." I looked at him, now feeling like a prisoner. "I hope you understand." Stoick finished.

"I don't think that will be necessary since I can't really leave this island."

"Don't worry. It won't limit you in any way. Now!" He said, punching into the table. "There are some things which are needed to be done. We'll start gathering food supplies for the winter today."

"Could I help with anything?" I asked, feeling the opportunity to be useful for something.

"I don't think so. As a guest… sit down and enjoy the show." Stoick politely rejected my offer.

"But I want to help." I insisted.

"Guests don't work. Consider it a compensation for the… eye kept on you."

"I'd feel useless if I will just fool around not doing anything!"

"As I said… Just sit down, and enjoy the show." Stoick finished, leaving the house.

_Gods, how can someone be so stubborn? _I sighed. It looked like getting home wouldn't be easy at all. _The day is going perfectly: I managed to make Hiccup upset, I managed to find out that I might not be able to get home. Only thing missing is mad Astrid, seriously… Wait. Astrid! That's it. I gotta go find her. _I stood up from the table and rushed outside with an idea.

I started walking down the village. People were already outside. After a while, I realized I actually had no idea where Astrid could be. Luck had smiled on me though.

"Morning." I heard a familiar voice coming from behind me. I turned around to see who it was. Astrid! Her purity amazed me, her face, her eyes, her hair, her… everything. Well… "Have you seen Hiccup?" She asked me.

"No…" _Liar. _"…well actually I have." I quickly corrected myself. "I met him in the morning; he was flying around the island with Toothless."

"He goes flying every morning. He should have been back already though." She was worried a bit.

"Huh…" _Put yourself together, damnit. _"Quite a cute boy you have anyway."

She was stunned with my statement. "You mean Hiccup?"

"I do." I replied calmly.

"Why do you think he is my boy?" She asked in confusion.

_Oh gods, not another secretive person._ "Well, I saw…" _Wait, no. We're in the public._ I bit my tongue not to continue further. "Let's go somewhere else." I invited.

She led me straightly to her house. Nobody was home. She turned towards me and crossed her arms onto her chest.

"Now, what's this all about? What did you see?" She asked annoyed.

"Well, I saw you two getting a bit close to each other when we parted last evening."

She annoyingly rolled her eyes, the same way Hiccup did. "Gods… Friends can't hold hands here anymore. Where did he go?"

_So… only friends, right? Ugh… _"I saw him flying towards the mountains."

"Right. Stormfly! We've got to go!" She shouted and left the house. I followed her. I could hear some loud squawks. Not long after, I saw a blue dragon landing in front of me. It… growled at me. Astrid climbed aboard and they both launched into the skies. Towards the mountains.

_Nice to meet you too, Stormfly. _I thought to myself, getting to know the name of Astrid's dragon. _A great idea indeed! Geez, I am such an idiot._

I was starting to think I found myself two friends, but the evolution of events proved me to be wrong. Maybe it was better that way. Things were not so ideal here as I thought. I was definitely wrong about the friendship. I made a mistake there. I was behaving as if these people were my tools. I was left right there where I had been yesterday. No progress made.

I started to wander around the village again. The sun was getting higher, and I was getting really bored. Everyone in the village knew they would start gathering supplies for the winter. Everyone knew what they had to do. Only I was the one not working there.

_If I ever want to get a job here, I will have to find it myself._

But what could I possibly do? Everything was covered. A good old proverb says though: 'Who seeks, finds.' I kept looking. The day was going really perfectly. Apart from the other things I had managed to find out, or screw up, I also made Astrid mad. I could see she was not happy about me revealing their relationship. I wondered what else could possibly go wrong. I could hear Stoick rumbling about where Hiccup was. Well, Hiccup wasn't going to show up for quite some time, considering what I did this morning. Yes, I rightfully called myself an idiot.

I mentioned everything I ever touched turned into gold. And I knew why. Someone was always around to make that happen. But now since that 'someone' was not around anymore, it turned out I was a total screw-up. I was devastated. My life turned out to be a complete disaster, and I hadn't even known about it. I lived in an illusion. How could I be so naïve? How could I think I was a good heir? How could I ever be proud of myself?

How ?

And whose fault is this?

I had more questions than answers. In fact, I had no answers. On the brink of mental breakdown, I sat down to the same spot where I had told Hiccup and Astrid about my story. I needed to be alone.

I closed my eyes, and prayed. I prayed to the gods to show me the way. I prayed to the gods to forgive me. I prayed to the gods… because I was hopeless. Why? Why did they do this to me?

Soon enough, I heard a roar. Toothless. Hiccup was coming back. I stood up, and ran back to the village. I had to see him. They landed somewhere in the village, but I could didn't know where exactly. He was followed by Astrid and her dragon. It looked like they were together.

I ran into the village, but stopped in front of the chief's house. I lost them. I turned towards the house and sighed. Maybe I just didn't have luck. Maybe I just had to wait for the next day and actually think before doing anything.

I suddenly felt pain in my left arm. I quickly turned around to see who I was going to punch up. I raised my hand, ready to strike at… Astrid?!

"That's for your absurdity." She playfully said. I raised my eyebrows and kept staring at her in shock. Then she stretched her arms, and wrapped them around me. "This is for everything else." She was so soft. Her smell completely disarmed me. I glanced at Hiccup who had a huge smile on his face. I could also see Toothless looking at me with his huge eyes. His expression wasn't so peaceful though. After a few moments, Astrid pulled out. She had just hugged me.

"What was… that?" I finally managed to ask.

"You're going to have to get used to her ways." Hiccup said, chuckling.

We all laughed at this situation. Life seemed to be somewhat more pleasant again.

"And… I am sorry for… this morning." Hiccup then apologized.

"Well, I think it should be me to be apologizing. To you. I mean… I acted before thinking about what I was about to- Ow!" My speech was interrupted by pain, in my right arm this time. Astrid punched me again.

"That's for your absurdity. Again." She smiled at me.

"Do that again and I swear you'll be lying on the ground. Even if you are a girl." I joked, laughing. "I admit though, you do have power in your fists." We smiled at each other for a few moments. I was the first one to stop. Home got into my mind again. Home, sweet home.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Astrid asked.

_Should I talk? Or should I keep it for myself? _The answer to these questions came surprisingly fast.

"Hiccup!" I heard a tough voice. Stoick was now approaching us. "There you are."

"Yes, dad?" Hiccup asked, turning towards him.

"We are starting gathering supplies for the winter. You are placed in charge of fishing. Think of a way how dragons could help you." Stoick briefly introduced Hiccup to his new assignment. He didn't seem to be happy about it.

"B-but dad, isn't this… your job?" He asked.

"We're reorganizing. Now get to it!" Stoick barked out. Hiccup just sighed and looked at Toothless. I bet he had no idea he would use dragons to get fish. And me? Well, I had to find a job myself.

"I wonder what I shall do." I mumbled to myself, but Astrid was close enough to hear me.

"I am sure you'll find something." She said, looking at me. "Like drawing your sword and swinging it around."

"So that was you?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Why did you hide?"

"I didn't want to disturb you."

I rolled my eyes. "Your presence is not disturbing at all." _Wait, what did I just say? _I could see Astrid chuckle.

"Well, I'll go help Hiccup." She said, running off towards him.

_Sure. I'll be around. _Seeing everyone dispersed to their new assignments, I just went to the chief's house and sat down on my bedding. I was thinking… and suffering, although it wasn't visible… yet.

_Maybe I am not supposed to be a part of Berk. Maybe I should just sit around and watch. Or not. There's no food without work; what am I thinking? What kind of work should I seek though? Is it the manual one? I have no idea. I'm alone. Desperate. Home's getting further and further. The more time passes by, the more I suffer. What if Stoick won't let me leave? I feel he can do it. Yes, he can. I'd never get to see my family, my own village. I'd never get away from these…_

_Dragons._

_They still freak me out. They are believed to be a threat to my people. I should keep my distance from them. I don't even think it is a good idea to make any friends… but I'm so lonely. Here, my eyes get watery. Is it isolation? Or friendship? I'd suffer either way. Why am I here? Why did I deserve this?_

_I thought life was so simple. The gods are trying to teach me something the hard way._

_I think I understand now._

After emerging from my thoughts, I went outside to see dragons lifting into air along with their riders. I could see another few groups of men heading off to the woods with axes and carts. Another few men took sheep out to pasture. I knew what my job was. I had to watch… and learn. There was no way coming back home without learning anything. That's what I understood. But what to look for? Maybe answers would come out with patience.

I was really curious how Hiccup would use dragons to hunt fish. I made my way through the empty village to its edge, so I could have a nice view of the ocean… of the ships sailing in a circle. And an astonishing view of dragons diving into the water right amid the ships, and coming out with mouths full of fish afterwards. The sight was breathtaking. Really impressive. But what to learn here? I couldn't see anything.

After I had enough of watching dragons hunting fish, I decided to take a look at the woodcutters. I ventured to the forest. I met them there. They were cutting down dead trees, and cutting these into small pieces before loading them into the carts. Once a cart was fully loaded, it was taken back to the village. The timing was very precise, but again: what to learn here?

I thought I'd find more answers if I looked in the village. I followed one of the carts. I approached a huge building roughly in the middle of the village with many women sitting outside, processing all the fish the dragons brought there. Another group of women were carrying the wood from carts inside to store them there. A small group of women were also storing the processed fish inside. There, I could see Stoick overseeing the whole event, with the leaders of each division reporting to him about the status of their assignments. Hiccup reported about fishing, and so did a rough man with a tiny dragon on his shoulder from the woodcutters division. A man with long blonde moustache and false arm and leg was reporting the status of processing all the goods brought here. The amount of devotion to the work was simply amazing. I had never seen this before. The timing, the teamwork, the determination to survive the winter… That's what I saw.

I wanted to participate. I can't explain why, but I felt put aside. I could hear Stoick saying they would be done in a single day since they had the help from dragons. Well, the sooner, the better, at least in this case. I kept asking myself a question: _How can I help?_

_I'vealways wanted to be a part of something big. But I want to keep a distance from this community at the same time, right? Helping out means getting noticed. Getting noticed means having contacts. Having contacts means having friends. Having friends means having someone to miss once they're gone. Having something to miss means becoming a part of their community, and thus becoming distant to my own home. Who is a friend, anyway? Ah… It's a mess._

Hiccup turned up sooner than I've expected. And I soon knew why. He reported that a storm was coming in fast. Stoick got nervous. He ordered the woodcutters to come back once they chopped the remaining trees, and told them to help processing the mountains of fish lying just outside the storehouse. The fishing division also ceased to operate. Shepherds hurried their sheep back to their pen.

A strong wind began to blow. First sign of an incoming storm. Panic started to rise in the crowd of men and women, who were desperately trying to store all the fish. They didn't have much time left.

"We need more hands here! Move it!" I could hear someone screaming. I didn't need anything else. I made my way towards the storehouse to find loads of processed fish carefully packed in nets. I grabbed one of them and carried it inside. At first, people were throwing questioning glances on me, but they soon resumed their duties anyway. I put the net where the other ones were stored, and went to get another one, and another one, and another one… I became a part of this machinery.

"Hey, ya must be the outsider!" The tall man with long blonde moustache and prosthetic leg and arm halted me. I threw a strange glance at him, as if I was doing something wrong. "Alright, just don't break anything."

_Whatever he meant by that…_ _Funny guy._

The initial wind stopped. Skies were slowly starting to get covered by light clouds, and there were still loads of fish to be processed and stored. I noticed the dragons were constantly watching me closely.

"We need help! We need more hands!" One of the men screamed. The panic got worse with the first distant thunder. I looked up into the skies to see dark and heavy clouds quickly moving over Berk. The dragons were getting nervous. I saw Hiccup trying to calm Toothless down. It wasn't a fear from storm itself though. It was a fear from its ferocity. And this storm was going to be really tough.

The pile of fish was quickly getting smaller and smaller, but the storm was still quicker. Winds started to rise again. This time, they were really heavy. Trees were violently bending under the enormous pressure as birds were quickly flying towards the mountains to seek refuge there. The nature was getting really, really noisy.

We finally managed to become faster than the storm. All the fish were processed and stored inside the storehouse, and the crowd quickly dispersed to their homes to make final preparations for the storm.

An ear-piercing thunder suddenly struck Berk. I knew I had to get to safety quickly. Even Stoick shouted at me to get inside. I looked around for Hiccup, but he was nowhere to be found. He was probably home. I started to sprint towards the chief's house just when first rain drops began to fall. I looked at the skies again. The clouds made me shiver. I had never seen something like that before.

I managed to get inside before it started raining. Hiccup and Toothless were already inside.

"Goddamnit. That was close." I stated.

"I saw you were helping out." Hiccup admired.

"Someone shouted for more hands… I didn't need anything else."

As soon as I finished saying this sentence, Stoick stormed in. He was lucky to get inside dry. Only moments after he shut the doors, all hell broke loose.

"That was damn close." I stated again, proceeding to put off my armour.

"Indeed." Stoick calmly said. "We'll be stuck here for a while. These storms tend to last a few days."

"Perfect." I replied. I didn't know what to think. Was it satisfaction, or discomfort?

Meanwhile, Hiccup proceeded to light a fire in the fireplace with Toothless' help. Once I stripped myself off the armour, I joined them at the fireplace. We formed a circle as we sat down, with Hiccup and Toothless to the left and Stoick to the right.

We felt safe near the fire, despite the storm raging outside. The fireplace felt like an oasis of peace. We knew the wooden walls would protect us. We knew it, and we relaxed. A lot of work was done, and it was time for food.

Everything was spinning so fast. Was Hiccup my friend, or just my guide to Berk? Or the 'eye' Stoick promised to be kept on me? I didn't know. Hiccup and Stoick were talking about the gathering event, meditated if it was enough for whole winter. They agreed that it was. I was silent for the whole time. I couldn't stop thinking about what Stoick told me earlier. Once the fish were ready, Stoick tossed me one.

"Thanks." I said, taking a bite.

"You're somehow quiet today." Hiccup wondered.

"Perhaps. A bit."

"Throw the morning behind, if that's what haunts you."

"No, it's not that." I confessed.

Hiccup then threw a questioning glance on Stoick.

"There is something else I didn't tell you." Stoick said quietly. "The village elder considers you to be a great threat to us."

I immediately looked at him, my heart started pounding heavily. I was going to ask…

"Why?" Hiccup was faster than me. "Yes, he is the first man from out there to know about us and dragons, but how could that be a threat, dad?"

"The village elder said she's sure that they are looking for him right now across the seas. And she can sense his people are tough men, and excellent soldiers." Stoick then looked at me. "She can sense you and your people are tough warriors, outlander."

Outlander. That sounds dehonesting.I looked into the fire, realising the situation was far worse than I had ever thought. I was an outlander from that moment. Only Hiccup refused to call me that.

"One of my men also suggested to get rid of you." Stoick continued. I closed my eyes. Situation could not be worse. "But I am not going to do that."

I felt somewhat relieved. It was fairly interesting how they treated me. I was an unwanted entity, yet I had a roof over my head, heat, food, a place to sleep and someone to talk with. I had to be careful. A single slip would cost me my own life.

I had to admit I was a certain threat to them. What if my people would be really looking for me? What if they actually found me? What would they do if they saw dragons? I didn't want to imagine… They'd kill every single one of them. We are well-known for our skills on the field of battle. I just didn't know people could sense that. Oh, actually, I was the only one carrying heavy armour, a shield and a long sword all the time. I had 'warrior' written all over me. Maybe I wouldn't have got into this if I didn't wear it. But at the same time, I could never put off my armour in a place full of strangers, no matter how friendly they looked.

For my entire life I was enjoying my life in sweet ignorance thanks to having someone to take care of everything from the behind. When I shipwrecked here on Berk, the veils unfolded, and life became cruel. My own life was in stake.

_Whose fault is this?_

I didn't get the chance to realise what life really is, because I didn't have to care about survival. Someone else cared about it. And once I was separated from my home, I wasn't able to take care of myself.

_Whose fault is this?_

I was uppish and naïve, because nobody told me I'd have to take care of myself sometimes. Someone else was taking care of everything. Yet I wanted to be a chief.

_Whose fault is this?_

Mine. Only mine. However absurdly this sounds, but it's true. It was me who was ignorant. It was me who was naïve. It was me who thought nothing could happen to him. It was me who sailed into a storm completely alone. It was me did a terrible mistake. It was me who acted. And it was me who got punched in the face. Not the ones behind me, no. Only me… and nobody else.

Tears started to form in my eyes. I felt an arm resting on my left shoulder. I opened my eyes to see Hiccup touching my left shoulder. Yes, he was a friend. Not a 'friend until death', but still a friend. We spent some time sitting near the fire, barely talking about anything. We forgot about the raging storm. After the night set in, we said 'good night' to each other, and headed off to our beddings.

My world was collapsing. There's nothing worse than realizing that the world you've believed in for your entire life was just an illusion. And moreover, I had no base to start building a new one, because even my most basic insights on the world were refuted, dumped, and washed away. I was beaten to the ground. I stumbled.

Would I ever be able get up again?


	4. Chapter 4

**Short Author's Note: While writing this chapter I suffered from lack of inspiration and motivation, which is one of the reasons why it comes a bit later than I've expected. The progress was awfully slow, and I made many mistakes I had to fix afterwards, so the entire chapter is somewhat patched together. I hope I didn't spoil the story.**

**Enjoy reading!**

* * *

With the next morning a question came: What else could possibly go wrong? I'd have to live on to find out. And so I did. I woke up late, unlike the day before. Both Stoick and Hiccup were out already. I dressed myself into my armour, grabbed a fish to eat, and went outside. It was much colder. The village itself was a mess. I could see garbage lying all around, few trees uprooted, and many broken in half. The storm was severe. People were busy removing the garbage from the roads. Well… more exactly, dragons were doing most of the job. Still, they seemed to be forming a perfect team. This world was working, and I seemed to have no place in it. How did I find the strength to live, anyway?

How?

I had no idea. Something was keeping an eye on me. If this was supposed to be a school of some kind, then it was definitely the harshest one ever. But it was effective. I had learnt that psychical pain is much worse than the physical one. This knowledge was dangerous… for me, and for everyone else.

Once one of the dragons spotted me, he growled to sign the others. From that moment, they kept an eye on me. I was an unwanted subject for them. I heard people talking about a rally of the village leaders, and the village elder. I could guess three times what would they talk about.

I was sure they were talking about me. But why without me? Such action makes me nothing more than a lamb waiting for its fate. I would never bow to a decision made without me. I'd become an enemy though. I'd give them a reason to hunt me down. I would never see my family on this world again. My chances to get home were already low, but was that what I wanted anyway?

No, my situation could not be worse.

That was one of the reasons I have decided to find Stoick. Such rallies usually take place in village's headquarters. Where else could that be if not in the Great Hall? Such buildings are built to serve for this purpose. I started walking towards what seemed to be the Great Hall. At least to me. It was a huge building with huge doors. So many stairs I had to overcome to reach them. There was one thing I forgot about though. Just as I was about to reach the doors, a toothed red dragon blocked my way with a fierce growl. It was a shock for me; I jumped back.

"Easy, boy. I am just passing through." I quietly said. He just kept staring at me with a threatening expression. We stared at each other for a while, until I made a small step forward. The dragon growled, and got closer to me. He didn't like that. I gave up.

"Okay, okay, I'm leaving." I reassured him and I slowly went down the stairs to the village. I realized I would have to wait for Stoick to come out of there, if he was inside anyway.

No, I couldn't bear this. I realized my fate wouldn't be in my hands once the council would leave the hall, if there was any. Either way, I had to leave. I had to find a way to sail through the ocean back home. I had to escape. If only there wasn't… that seductive figure, that blonde hair, that leather band across that forehead, that gorgeous smile, those crystal blue eyes. That Astrid… walking towards me, nobly floating like a feather through the air. I wanted to go, but I couldn't. Where was Hiccup? No… It was only me and her.

The closer she was the bigger smile she had on her lips.

_Hiccup._

The bigger smile she had on her lips, the deeper gaze she was landing on me.

_Hiccup…_

The deeper she gazed into my eyes, the more petrified I was. But… why eyes?

_Hiccup!_

I was about to start raging in my mind, but her very presence calmed me down. I noticed she was armed with a rather large double-sided battle-axe.

"Hi." She greeted me. I bowed me head and smiled. How couldn't I smile in her presence? "Having a good morning?"

"Not really. The dragons always keep an eye on me and…" _No, don't mention the Great Hall._ "…they won't let me go anywhere." I replied.

"Oh I see. Well, they will have to stop following you because I am borrowing you for a moment." She said with a gentle smile. My eyebrows raised.

_Did I just hear 'borrow'? What the… _"What do you mean by… borrowing?"

"You'll know soon enough. Come on!" She grabbed my arm and pulled me. Pity I couldn't feel the touch of her hand due to the armour I had.

"Okay but… what about Hiccup?" I asked.

"Hiccup's flew away somewhere, and he left me here alone." Astrid explained, briefly stopped to look at me. "So… yeah. Let's go."

She guided me to the forest. We were quiet for the whole journey, mostly because there was no need for words. We stopped in an open area in the middle of the forest. There was a lake, and a gentle waterfall supplying it with water. We were surrounded by tall walls of rocks covered with moss and trees. I turned towards Astrid.

"Do you like this place?" She asked me.

"Yeah… Kind of." I said, looking at her, ignoring my surroundings.

"Well, then. I challenge you to a friendly fight."

I raised my right eyebrow. She wanted to fight with me! I laughed. I kept looking at her, wanting to ask if she was serious when I saw her grabbing her battle-axe. That was her answer. Yes, she was serious. This was a great opportunity to show my strength. So I grabbed my shield, and drew my sword, with a smile on my face. Astrid turned away from me though. She went to some thick bushes, and took a round shield from there.

"It would be strange if I left the village with a shield, an axe and a handsome warrior, right?" He noted with a sweet smirk on her face. I couldn't believe my own ears and eyes. She was hitting on me right there! "So I smuggled a shield here during the night." She finished, slowly approaching me. I could only watch.

I tightened my grip of my sword, as I was getting ready for the fight. I didn't have much time to prepare though. Before I could put myself together again, she charged me with a battle cry. I managed to dodge with a somersault to the right, only to see her axe thrusting towards me. My best bet was to use my agility and dodge her attacks. Axe is much heavier than a sword, and I could have ended up disarmed if I tried to block. I still had my shield, but axes are also well known shield-breakers, and I knew that. I jumped onto a large rock, only to turn around and jump back at her. That move turned out to be a good choice. I managed to disarm her with a single shield bash. We both fell to the ground, but I wasn't fast enough to get up on my feet. She charged me without her axe, only with her shield. I found myself in a desperate struggle to maintain balance. We were pushing against each other with our shields. Our gazes met. Her beautiful blue eyes were full of determination and excitement. I still had my sword in my hand, but I didn't dare to use it. I savored that moment. I wished it would last longer. Everything has to begin, but everything has to end at the same time. With all my remaining strength I managed to knock her to the ground, but she didn't want to give up. I received a shield through the face. I fell to the ground while Astrid grabbed her axe and charged me again. I managed to roll over to avoid it. Damn it… she could have killed me there. I realized how dangerous that game was. I used a nearby rock to get up on my feet and I quickly blocked her attack with my shield, only to make a turn to allow me to knock her down with my right elbow. It worked. She fell to the ground, but took me with her. My sword fell out of my hand as I was struggling to maintain dominance in our fight. She didn't have her axe too. Our only weapons were our shields, and our bare hands. After a short while I was able to pin her down. She tried to roll over, but my grip was stronger. She gave up. The fight was over.

We were lying there for some time, me being on top of her, breathing heavily, looking at each other. She was even more beautiful when exhausted.

"Now that was great." She noted. I then realized I was resting on top of her, and quickly got up. Rather not get too excited. I helped her stand up. She was insanely happy; I could see it on her.

"You're a damn good soldier." She admired.

"Practice makes perfect." I replied, picking up my sword and putting it into my scabbard hanging from my leather belt.

"Indeed." She quietly said, smiling. "I looks like you have been practicing a lot." We continued staring at each other for a moment. "Well, I think we should return now."

We went back to the village, through the forest. That calm thick forest which provided home to so much life. I could hear birds singing their joyful melodies, I could hear a nearby stream, I could hear a distant ocean, and I could feel the energy flowing around me again. Was it really coming from the nature though?

We didn't really talk much; no words were needed after all. Our bodies spoke for us. I felt somewhat uncomfortable at first, but after what happened a few moments before… it was just not true anymore. By her side I felt so relaxed, and so did she. The gods were trying to tell me something, but I was illiterate enough to fail to see what.

The welcome back at the village was nothing special. A few growls, and lots of dragon gazes. I was slowly getting used to it. Astrid spotted Hiccup, and ran towards him. Poor boy didn't have a chance to even turn around… Astrid was now literally hanging on him. They were so sweet together whenever they shared a hug. I just had no idea why would Astrid hug him that morning when we came back from the forest… maybe just a greeting, maybe something more, or maybe nothing at all. Only Astrid knew…

I was now busy figuring out what was that fight about. Did she do it because she was somehow attracted to me or just to keep me away from the events in the village? If she was attracted to me, what would the hug with Hiccup mean? Could it be a cover? I had no clue. My thoughts led me far away, to spheres unknown to me. I kept trying to find a way… home. My home, my village, my friends… my parents. No. I realized I'd put myself into a terrible risk by allowing anyone to get closer to me. Precious delight comes at a high price. It always has, and it always will. And since delight had already come, how high the price would be?

I was terrified. I looked at Hiccup and Astrid, still tightly hugging each other. Some villagers glanced at them with curiosity. The dragons, as always, kept watching me. After a good while, Astrid released her grip around Hiccup who was looking at her, slightly confused. Astrid just reassured him with a huge smile.

"Let's go flying." Hiccup suggested.

Astrid smiled in acceptance as Hiccup grabbed her hand and pulled her… somewhere. As they were leaving, Astrid threw a short glance at me, standing right there like numb. Her eyes were full of questions like '…and what about him?'. I couldn't believe it. They left me there completely alone. Argh… what was so unbelievable on that? I was an outsider! I never really understood people who moved out from their homes to live somewhere else, in a foreign culture. They just wouldn't be complete, because… home is home. And home is only one. And mine was far away.

The village was pretty much cleaned up from all the mess made my last night's storm. Huh… I was almost determined to leave this island to avoid becoming a prisoner, but something kept me pinned down. Something…

I decided it was time to attempt to find Stoick again. It didn't take me long to find him this time, and also, no dragons stood in my way. The right idea just had to come to my mind. And so I turned towards the chief's house, and mine… so to speak. I found Stoick sitting there behind the dining table.

"Good morning, outsider." He greeted me. I was mazed a bit; he used the word 'outsider' with such confidence.

"Morning, chief." I replied closing the doors behind me. "I have a question."

Stoick just looked at me.

"I've heard about a council which was supposed to take place this morning. May I ask if anything you discussed there involved me in any way?"

"A council?" He raised both of his eyebrows. "Where did you hear of a council?"

"People in the village were whispering something." I replied.

"Ah… rumours. These tend to spread like a plague."

"So… was there any council?"

"Look, boy. If you heard of a council, because I didn't, then it is surely not your job to be curious about what we discuss there. It's our internal problem and it is not to be discussed with outsiders. Understood?"

I didn't like his answer. "I don't want to be pesky, but I demand a clear answer. Yes or no?"

Stoick's voice caught an angry tone. "Don't test my patience. When something is off-limits for you, then you have nothing to see there. Internal village affairs are one of those. Villagers tend to talk about things they have no idea about. You shouldn't believe anything they say. Period. End of story. Is there anything else you need?"

There went the kind host. My life was about to get much worse. Stoick didn't say there wasn't a council, but also didn't confirm that it was a lie. He just shooed me away from it with 'internal village affairs'. What about the dragon preventing me from entering the Great Hall then? I was disappointed.

"No, that is all." I said with a quiet voice, and left the house.

Only moments after stepping forward, I saw Toothless and Stormfly racing towards the mountains. They were having a good time… again. I could have enjoyed myself too if I had joined them. But… home. It wouldn't be a good idea at all. Friends would make my journey only more complicated.

Something was wrong with the dragons though. They weren't just watching me, but some of them were actually tracking me. My freedom was getting limited. I even came across the rest of Hiccup's gang, but they just avoided me. I felt completely ignored. Why did Hiccup pull Astrid out of there to quickly? Why did he take her to the mountains in such a hurry? He knew something… Or maybe it was just a coincidence.

A few hours later, excitement settled in the village. Everyone hurried to the docks. I wondered what could be so interesting there, so I decided to take a look at it. When I finally managed to punch my way through the crowd, I saw three ships full of goods approaching the docks. Traders. Traders arrived! It's my way… no, it's not. Those traders weren't from my place. I didn't recognize the symbols on their sails. I sighed. It could have been an end to all of this, with or without Stoick's approval. Suddenly, there was a great roar.

"Dragons!" One of the traders screamed.

"And here we go." I mumbled for myself.

Desperate traders started grabbing weapons while the hysteric crowd tried to calm them down. It didn't work. Stoick had to come to settle things down.

"Calm down! They're not hostile!" He yelled at them from ashore.

"What!?" The trader yelled back.

"Put down your weapons!"

The crowd remained silent as the traders started putting down their weapons. Soon enough, Hiccup and Astrid showed up on their dragons. Those poor traders couldn't believe their own eyes. Yes, they saw two kids riding dragons. Once they realized they wouldn't get burnt alive, they started the actual trade. I noticed the chief of traders passing some commands to his men, carefully covering his mouth while speaking. Once he was done, he shouted:

"Come people, have a look at our goods!"

And people came closer. Stoick did too; he approached the chief of the traders to talk with him. I was curious what they could talk about. And so I discretely got closer to them and tried to listen.

"No, no… no way, we'll be making this short. Tell your people to quickly carry out their trades and we'll be heading off." The trader said.

"Aren't you staying for the night?" Stoick wondered.

"No. The sea is frozen just an hour of sailing to the north from here. We have to move quickly."

"I see. That will work then. Do you have any new weapons I should see?"

"Oh, of course we do!" The trader boasted, but suddenly halted himself, as if he said something he shouldn't. "But they are very rare, and very expensive." He added as they both went on board of one of the ships. Stoick grabbed one of the swords and swung it around.

"This doesn't seem to be so rare to me." Stoick said, throwing a serious glance on the trader.

"Oh-oh… um… th-they were made using very special techniques. They look like ordinary swords, but actually, are much stronger than ordinary swords! This one has great durability!"

"What do you want for this arsenal?" Stoick asked, pointing at the rest of the weapons. There were swords, axes, spears, and even bows.

"Uh… well, considering their scarcity, the whole arsenal will cost you thirty sheep."

Stoick looked at him in horror. "Thirty sheep? Are you insane?"

"I am not, actually."

"Keep it then." Stoick barked, and threw the sword back onto the pile of weapons. He was pretty angry when he was leaving the ship. The trader sighed with relief. I agreed that thirty sheep was too high. I wondered what caused the trader to give those such a ridiculously high price, maybe he didn't want to sell them at all.

After a few minutes the villagers were pretty much done, and the traders hurried to leave. Since there was nothing interesting in Stoick's dialogue with the chief of the traders, I made my way back to the crowd.

"We thank you for this trade, we hope we'll be able to come when the winter ends!" The chief trader shouted as the three ships slowly departed the harbour.

I don't know if it was just me or the trader really acted strangely. Could it be the dragons? Perhaps…

The day quickly turned into an evening, and people were slowly dispersing into their homes. The nature was getting ready for sleep. And it was time for me to get inside too. Hiccup, Toothless and Stoick were already home. Hiccup gave me a smile when I entered, but Stoick didn't even bother to look at me. Toothless watched me closely. Something was wrong.

"So, how was your day?" Hiccup asked me.

"Not now, Hiccup." Stoick halted me from responding.

That was everything we'd say to each other that evening. After eating our dinners, we just said goodbye to each other, and went to sleep. I didn't put off my armour that evening. I didn't feel safe anymore. I just hoped I'd return home before winter would strike, but my chances were too low to be real. I prayed… I prayed to the gods to protect me from any danger. I prayed to the gods to get me out of there alive. I prayed to the gods… because I was hopeless. But I felt their school was not at its end. No, I had to endure longer. Who'd say it would be as drastic as it was…

I closed my eyes, and slowly, slowly, drifted off from this world into sweet dreams.

_That smell, oh that sweet smell. The gentle shape, firm yet fragile… a cherry blossom. Like the softest silk, scuffing around my face. The desire is burning me._

_That silk wraps me warmly; I'm absorbing all the power from it._

_That silk; feeling so comfortable._

_That silk; feeling so safe._

_That silk; so pleasant to caress._

_That silk; tasting so sweetly._

_That silk; crystal blue eyes!_

_No… this is not happening._

"Aaaah!" I yelped as I sat onto my bed, breathing heavily. I was sweaty all around my body. My heart was pounding its way from my chest. I looked around myself. Wooden walls, my sword, shield, a burned-out fireplace, sleeping Stoick, sleeping Hiccup, sleeping dragon. Shock. Sweat. What did just happen? I could not believe.

After calming myself down, I lifted from my bed. Trying not to wake anyone, I slipped from the house. Snow. It was snowing, gently. Snow covered everything; ground, roofs, trees, mountains. The air was much cooler, but pleasant to breathe anyway. The wind was calm, the nature quiet. Winter has come.

It was early in the morning. The snow-covered village was still empty, and would stay that way for quite some time. I just started walking at random, trying to clear my head, but it just wasn't possible. I sat down on a bench near an open space at the edge of the village. I was still trying to clear my mind of anything that happened during the night… but I was just not able to focus on anything anymore. I buried my head in my hands.

_What did just happen? What have I done? Why is this happening to me? Why are the gods putting this in front of me? Give me anything just… not this! The vision… clearer than sun itself, it left, but the desire… that burning desire – remained._

_That graceful silk; softer than anything I held before._

_That beautiful silk; the most passionate thing I have ever felt._

_That silk; can't forget the feeling._

_That treacherous silk; twisting my mind!_

_That bloody silk; torturing me to death!_

_It's killing me, the desire. I must… no I can't. Would I betray myself, my family, my village, my people, my gods? Will I manage to forget? No. Will I manage to endure? No, I won't. And that freaks me out._

_That silk - a spring in the middle of an endless desert._

_That silk - a deadly knife._

_That silk… Astrid._

I had never cried in my life before. Never. I had never felt so shattered. I was losing ground, and I did not know what to do. That delight which I indulged… now I had to pay the price for it. What was my sword for now? I was defenceless. Completely unarmed.

A spark was lit, and the flame was raging. I'd put my life in for her now. She was permanently graved into my mind. I could not think of anything else. Only her. It's that strange feeling when you realise you truly love someone.

I was sitting there completely alone. A gentle wind was caressing my face. I closed my eyes, and kept thinking about her. Only her, her and nobody else. Her face, her blonde hair, her leather band, her eyes, her lips, her… everything. And I thought my situation was at its worst. My journey was still at its beginning.

I couldn't do that to Hiccup. He was destined to have Astrid standing by his side for the rest of his life. I felt sorry for him, but Astrid's that kind of girl you can't really let go. I felt she was attracted to me. Yes, I felt it when we were returning back to the village the day before. We felt so relaxed… the spark was lit. Things would have been different if she didn't show up, if I didn't attempt to get to the Great Hall, if I didn't sail into a storm completely alone... None of this would have happened. But it did, and I had to live with it. I had no idea how, but I had to.

Astrid was betrothed to Hiccup. The gods themselves did that. They completed each other perfectly. Why would friendships exist if people wouldn't have flaws? Both Hiccup and Astrid had some, and they covered each other's backs. They helped each other wherever they had a weakness. They formed a firm harmony, a harmony I was about to shatter into tiny pieces, and dump those into the depths of hell itself. Did anyone say fear is stronger than love? I think my father did.

Love can be both creative and destructive. A simple human being has to be ready to handle such power. And I wasn't. Would I let her go, or would I tear an innocent boy's heart apart? Either way, I'd suffer. Only the torturer would be different: desire or conscience. I had no idea which was worse. Desire hates the entire world; conscience would force me to hate myself. I knew I had to make a decision.

I lifted my head from my hands to look around. The sun was about to lit the village, and people would soon start coming out of their dwellings. The usual routine.

Winter is time for relax. Even for Vikings, at least those on Berk. People were either lying at home or dating their mates outside. So did Hiccup with Astrid. The sight was now painful for my heart. They were walking into the woods with their dragons, leaning against each other while holding hands… I couldn't watch anymore. No… life was too cruel to me. I know I made a mistake, but I never deserved this. Not this. The worst thing possible happened to me, and I swore to myself to avoid her right after Hiccup introduced us. Yes, I am such an idiot.

I had to move on. I couldn't just sit there, do nothing. I had to bugger off from this community for a while. I looked around… houses, sea, forests… mountains.

It was a crazy idea. Crazy and dangerous. But nobody would care if I eventually died there. Probably. I left it on the gods to decide if I was worthy to live further. Despite dragons already watching me, I ran through the woods towards the rocky mountains. I ran towards the steep slopes. I started climbing. It was slippery. Rock after rock I continued climbing, despite being more and more exhausted. I didn't care though. It was not as dangerous as I originally expected, but either way, it was challenging. After an hour or so, I reached the summit. I was wiped out.

The view was amazing. I saw everything, the forest, the village, the rough coastline, and the ocean which was already frozen not far from the island to the north. My fate was sealed. I was going to spend the winter on Berk. I did not like the idea at all, especially after what happened to me that morning. I felt somewhat happy though, after I realized where I had managed to get. I thought I could forget about everything on that peak. If only it was so easy…

I heard two familiar sounds. A roar and a squawk. I closed my eyes and sighed. I couldn't get away from people on this island. I turned around to see two dragons quickly approaching me. It was Hiccup dating Astrid, and I was about to spoil their trip. They landed in front of me.

"Uh… What are you… doing here?" Hiccup asked, looking at me. He certainly didn't await me here.

"Well, I am on a little trip." I shrugged.

"But… here?" He exclaimed.

"Kinda crazy, I know." I said, looking into the ground.

"You could have died on your way here!" Hiccup yelled at me. He yelled. I looked at him, surprised. Yes, he was angry. He seemed to really care about me. That made things even worse. I saw Astrid getting off her dragon, and approaching me.

"The gods let me live on." I calmly said, looking into his eyes.

"You are lucky they did." Hiccup replied, dismounting Toothless.

"Promise me you won't do that again." Astrid entered, placing her hand on my arm. I closed my eyes. The desire was killing me. She was so close! I opened my eyes, and looked into hers. Her eyes widened. She probably saw it. She must have noticed my sight roamed around her face. I couldn't bear the pressure…

"Why do you care about me so much?" I asked, and looked at Hiccup. "My death would actually solve a couple of problems for you."

"Never say that again. Ever." Hiccup angrily pointed at me.

"Fine… I'm sorry." I resigned.

This encounter was supposed to ensure me I had friends, a moral support. Truth is that it only made things even worse. Hiccup seemed to trust me, as did Astrid. It was all getting so tangled. Astrid dated me. Yes she did. The day before in the forest… our fight. It didn't happen without a reason. It was a date. And now, she was dating Hiccup again. Who was she then, damn it?

Seeing Astrid leaned against Hiccup again, I thought it would be wise to leave them alone. My heart was screaming.

"I… I think I'll be going." I quietly said, turning around.

"Well… if you insist." Hiccup responded.

I started walking away from them. Just when I was about to go down the hill, I turned around to see Astrid's worried glance. She knew something was wrong with me. I doubted she had any idea. I just continued descending the mountain.

It was worth it. I released much of the tension from the inside. Life was somewhat more bearable again, but still harsh.

The village seemed to be working normally. For the first time I saw people smiling. I saw them enjoying their lives with their dear ones. It looked it it was their life. Work in the summer, enjoy yourself in the winter. Tears showed up in my eyes. I realized I would probably be the only one without a mate.

My thoughts were interrupted with a loud roar. I looked around, but before I could realize what was going on I found myself lying on the floor. A red dragon was standing in front of me. I quickly got up onto my feet. The Monstrous Nightmare, as the locals called it. It was threatening me with fierce growls.

"What do you want?" I said firmly, looking into its eyes. I had no idea if the dragon understood me. It just continued to growl. Oh yes, someone noticed I was gone. I slowly put my left hand onto my sword. I was ready to strike, although without a shield. People gathered around, but did nothing.

The dragon straightened up, and inhaled air. My eyes widened, my mouth opened. I saw green gas building up in its throat. It was going to blast me! I violently drew my sword. It didn't work. The dragon was about to send me to eternity when I heard another roar. I saw a bright light, I felt heat. I ducked. When it was gone, I stood up again to see two Nightmares fighting. It was brief though. Stoick came to settle the conflict. Even dragons weren't united when it came to me.

"Are you alright, outlander?" He asked me.

_Outlander… I hate that word. _"Yeah, I am." I replied, sheathing my sword.

"Alright men, mind your own business! The show is over!" Stoick shouted at the crowd which subsequently dispersed. Something was not right. I doubted Stoick would explain though. I turned towards him.

"Internal village affairs?" I asked.

"Something like that." Stoick briefly replied, and walked away.

"You'd better settle this before something bad happens."

He didn't reply. My future was uncertain.

I had to be cautious. My life was in stake, but the gods let me live for a reason. I still could return home. Home… the large fields, forests, rivers, sea… my village. Yes, there still was a hope. I just had to wait. I had to overcome all the obstacles the gods placed on the road. It was a struggle.

A struggle for survival.


End file.
